Cup carrier

ABSTRACT

A carrier for one or a plurality of beverage containing cups such as those supplied to carry out customers of carry out restaurants, fast food restaurants and the like. The cup carrier constructed in accordance the present invention includes a one piece blank which can be folded to form a base with one or a plurality of openings for receiving a beverage cup to provide an easily set up cup carrier that stably suspends the cup or cups in an upright position when the carrier is supported by a handle structure positioned above the cups so that the force of gravity will maintain the cup or cups in an upright suspended position.

This application is entitled to and hereby claims the priority of co-pending U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 60/552,194, filed Mar. 12, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a carrier for one or a plurality of beverage containing cups such as those supplied to carry out customers of carry out restaurants, fast food restaurants and the like. The cup carrier constructed in accordance the present invention includes a one piece blank which can be folded to form a base with one or a plurality of openings for receiving a beverage cup or cups to provide an easily set up cup carrier that stably suspends the cup or cups in an upright position when the carrier is supported by a handle structure positioned above the cups so that the force of gravity will maintain the cup or cups in an upright suspended position.

2. Description of the Related Art

Spillage of beverages from hand carried cups is a well known problem to customers of carry out or fast food restaurants. Even when beverage cups are provided with a frictionally attached closure lid, it is difficult for a customer to carry a beverage cup or cups without spilling the beverage contents, especially when also carrying food products in a bag or the like during normal handling and transportation to a site of consumption of the beverage.

Various efforts have been made to facilitate the transportation of multiple cups from a point of purchase to a point of use. Such efforts include, placing the cups in an upright position in a paper bag which frequently results in the beverage cup tilting over and spilling the beverage internally of the bag. Another effort includes the provision of a compartmented tray constructed of cardboard or similar material to receive and frictionally engage the bottom ends of a plurality of beverage cups. While the use of such trays is more effective than using a paper bag and more effective than a customer gripping and carrying a plurality of cups in their hands, such trays provide a somewhat unstable carrier since the cups tend to tilt out of the trays especially if the trays are tilted or come into contact with a door, door frame or other stationery building structure, vehicle body or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cup carrier in accordance with the present invention includes a one piece carrier preferably constructed of stiff cardboard, such as corrugated cardboard or the like formed from a a single blank having a planar base having at least one or a plurality of circular openings therein for receiving one or plurality of tapered beverage cups with the periphery of each circular opening engaging the beverage cup received therein intermediate the ends thereof in order to stably support the beverage cup in an upright position and to prevent the beverage cup from tilting out of the opening in the base since the frictional engagement between the cup and the periphery of the opening and force of gravity will retain the beverage cup or cups in the openings in the base. Opposite edges of the base include upwardly converging support members which terminate in a handle structure located above the center of the base and the center of any cup or cups being supported by the base with the weight of the cups and beverages and the force of gravity maintaining the base generally in a horizontal position below the handle structure to effectively support a beverage cup or cups in an upright suspended position within the opening or openings in the base of the carrier.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a one piece cup carrier constructed from a cardboard blank having a central circular opening or a plurality of circular openings formed in a rectangular central portion of the blank when the blank is folded in a manner to form a cup carrier.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cup carrier in which a fold line is provided outwardly from the openings in the base of the cup carrier to enable upwardly extending portions of the blank to converge upwardly to form a handle structure with the upwardly converging handle structure being spaced from any upper lip on the beverage cups or container and also spaced from any closure lid placed thereon to enable suspension of the beverage cups in a vertical position in the base.

A further object of the invention to provide fold lines in the upper portions of the handle structure to enable a short terminal end of each blank to be oriented in contacting relation with an opening formed therein to receive the fingers of a person carrying the cup carrier with the handle structure also being provided with a tab structure to retain the portions of the handles to be engaged by the fingers of a person carrying the carrier in contacting relation to maintain the carrier in a set up position to stably support the beverage cups when the cup carrier is being transported with a beverage cup or cups suspended through the openings in the base of the carrier.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of cup carrier in a set up position with a beverage cup supported therein.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the cardboard blank from which the cup carrier of FIG. 1 is formed.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another form of cup carrier in set up position.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the blank from which the cup carrier of FIG. 3 is formed.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an additional form of the cup carrier of the present invention illustrating a handle structure that maintains the cup carrier in set up position.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the blank from which the cup carrier of FIG. 5 is formed.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the cup carrier of the present invention in which the base includes three circular openings to receive three beverage cups.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the cardboard blank from which the cup carrier of FIG. 7 is formed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Although only four preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its scope to the details of construction and arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, in describing the preferred embodiments, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. It is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.

The cup carrier illustrated in FIG. 1 is designated by reference numeral 10 and includes a flat base 12 having two circular openings 14 formed therein with upwardly extending support members 16 connected along fold line 17 to each of the side edges of the base 12. The upper end of each support member 16 includes an upwardly extending handle member 20 connected to the support member 16 along fold line 21. Each of the upwardly extending handle members 20 includes an elongated slot like opening 22 therethrough for receiving the fingers of a person carrying the cup carrier 10. The handle structure generally designated by reference numeral 18 includes tabs 24 along at least one side edge of the upwardly extending handle members 20 that can be folded laterally to secure the handle members 20 in adjacent relation when the blank illustrated in FIG. 2 is folded in a manner to form the set up cup carrier 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. The tabs 24 are formed by a pair of inwardly converging cut lines 26 so that the tabs 24 are aligned with each other when the blank is set up to enable the tabs 24 to be folded into overlying relation to a surface of one of the handle members 20 or folded to a position generally perpendicular to the members 20 as illustrated in FIG. 1 to retain the handle members 20 in adjacent relation to facilitate insertion of the fingers through the slot like openings 22. A cup of cups 28 can be easily dropped into the openings 14 when the blank is flat or the support members 16 folded upwardly after which the handle members 20 are brought together in aligned relation with the support members 16 upwardly converging position. The tabs 24 then can be bent to the position illustrated in FIG. 1 so that the cup carrier with the cups therein can be easily handed to a customer and the customer can easily carry the cup carrier and cups to a desired destination without the cups tilting over or spilling beverages from the cups 28.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the cup lip normally provided at the upper end of the cup 28 which receives and frictionally secures a cover lid on the cup have a periphery that is spaced from the inner surfaces of the upwardly extending support members 16 thereby assuring that the cup lid will not become dislodged from the upper end of the cup 28 during normal handling of the cup carrier by a customer when carrying the cup carrier and cups to a desired destination.

The embodiment of the cup carrier illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 is generally designated by reference numeral 30 which includes a base 32 that includes two or more circular openings 34 for receiving beverage cups in a manner similar to that in FIG. 1. A portion of the base 32 outwardly of the outer circumference of each of the circular openings 34 is provided with a cut out area 35 with the outer periphery of an outer portion of the area of the base having the opening 34 formed therein being separated from the side edges and end edges of the opening 35 as illustrated in the blank shown in FIG. 4 from which the cup carrier 30 is formed. Extending upwardly from portions of the base 32 outwardly from the cut out area 35 is a pair of support members 36 connected to the base 32 along fold lines 37 to enable the support members 36 to be folded upwardly into converging relation as illustrated in FIG. 3. The outer end portions of support members 36 include handle members 38 connected to the upwardly converging support members 36 along fold lines 39. The handle members 38 include a lower edge 33 which facilitate insertion of the fingers below the lower edges 33 of the handle members 38 and grip the handle members 38 for effectively carrying cups suspended in the openings 34. The outwardly extending relation of fold lines 37 from the interior of the circular openings 34 provides space for the upper lip of the cup supported by the cup carrier 30 and also provides space for the closure lid provided on the cup so that the closure lid will not be contacted and possibly dislodged during normal transport of the cup carrier 30 and cups therein to a desired destination.

The cup carrier illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings is generally designated by reference numeral 40 and includes a base 44 having two or more circular opening 42 therein with the side edges of the base 44 being connected to a pair of upwardly converging support members 46 connected to the side edges of base 44 along fold lines 47. The upper edge area of one support members 46 includes an elongated slot like rectangular opening 48 adjacent the upper edge thereof with the slot like opening 48 being generally rectangular in configuration and of sufficient dimensions to receive the fingers of a person carrying the cup carrier 40. The other support member 46 includes a cut out tab 50 having a bottom edge 52, side edges 54 and a top edge connected to the support member 46 along a fold line 56 so that the tab 50 is larger in size than the slot like opening 48 and can be folded through the opening 48 and bent upwardly along the outer surface of a support member 46 as illustrated in FIG. 5. This structure forms an effective handle for carrying the cup carrier 40. The tab 50 retains the upper ends of the support members 46 in adjacent relation to maintain the set up condition of the carrier 40.

The embodiment of the cup carrier illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawings is generally designed by reference numeral 60 and includes a base 62 of rectangular configuration and elongated sufficiently to form three circular openings 64 therein. As illustrated three openings 64 are provided. However, it is pointed out that any number of cup openings can be provided but most take out orders do not exceed three or four beverage cups. If more cups are to be carried, a second cup carrier can be used to avoid a cup carrier being too large to handle. The carrier 60 includes a pair of upwardly converging support members 66 connected to the side edges of the base 62 by fold lines 67. Each support member 66 terminates in a handle structure generally designated by reference numeral 68 and including a pair of handle members 70 oriented in contacting relation to each other. The side edges of the handle members 70 are provided with cut out bendable tabs 74 similar to the tabs 24 illustrated in FIG. 1 and which functions in the same manner. Also, each of the support members 70 includes a slot like cut out members 72. One of the slot like members 72 retains the cut out area as a tab 76 connected to the upper edge of the slot like opening along a fold line 78 so that the tab 76 can be pushed through the other slot like opening 72 to retain the handle members 70 in contacting relation when the handle member 70 is the opening 72 are aligned and tab 76 on one pushed through and folded upwardly along the outer surface of the other handle member 70 as illustrated in FIG. 7. If desired, the tab 76 can be slightly larger and provided with rounded ends so that it becomes locked in position to retain the handle members 70 in assembled relation to lock the handle structure in view of the large number of beverage cups being carried by the cup carrier 60.

The foregoing should be considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. Accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

1. A cup carrier constructed from a one piece blank of cardboard material comprising a base having at least one opening for receiving a beverage cup therein, upwardly extending support members extending from opposite side edges of said base, each of the support members including a handle forming member at the upper end thereof with the handle forming members being in close association to orient the support members in upwardly converging relation in facing relation to a beverage cup lip or closure lid to facilitate transport of one or more beverage cups.
 2. The cup carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein said handle forming members are connected together in a face to face relation and provided with openings to enable insertion of fingers of a hand of a person carrying the cup carrier.
 3. The cup carrier as claimed in claim 2, wherein said handle forming members include folding tabs to retain said handle forming members in adjacent relation.
 4. The cup carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base is elongated and rectangular in shape and including a plurality of openings oriented in aligned relation.
 5. The cup carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base includes a fold line at opposite edges thereof to facilitate upward folding of said support members. 